Eastern gorilla

The eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) is a critically endangered species of the genus Gorilla and the largest living primate. These impressive animals live in the forests of central Africa and are known for their strength and intelligence. Eastern gorillas are divided into two subspecies: the eastern lowland gorillas or Grauer's gorillas (G. b. graueri) and the mountain gorillas (G. b. beringei).

There are approximately 6,800 eastern lowland gorillas and around 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the wild. Both subspecies face serious threats, especially from illegal hunting. Conservation efforts are very important to help protect these amazing creatures and ensure they survive for future generations.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

There are two recognised subspecies of eastern gorilla: the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) of the volcanic slopes of Rwanda, Uganda and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo; and the eastern lowland gorilla or Grauer's gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Genetic research has shown that these two eastern subspecies are closely related, which is why they are now classified together as G. beringei, separate from the western lowland gorilla.

Description

The eastern gorilla is a large primate with a broad chest, long arms, and a flat nose with big nostrils. Its face, hands, feet, and breast are bald, and its fur is mostly black. Older males develop a silvery patch on their backs, earning them the name "silverbacks."

Males are much larger than females, weighing between 140–205.5 kg (309–453 lb) and standing about 1.7 m (5.6 ft) tall when upright. Females are smaller, weighing 90–100 kg (200–220 lb) and standing around 1.5 m (4.9 ft). There are two types of eastern gorillas: Grauer's gorilla, with shorter, deeper black fur, and mountain gorilla, which has a slightly bluish tint and is a bit smaller.

Distribution and ecology

Mountain gorillas live in the mountain rainforest and subalpine forest of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), southwestern Uganda and Rwanda. Grauer's gorillas are found across the forests of the Albertine Rift in eastern DRC.

Eastern gorillas mainly eat leaves and plants because there isn’t much fruit in their homes. They search for food mostly in the morning and late afternoon. At night, they make nests by bending plants over, usually on the ground.

Behavior

Eastern gorillas live in stable family groups led by a strong silverback male. These groups can be quite large, sometimes having up to 35 members. Females have babies only once every few years because they need a lot of time to care for each baby, which takes about 8.5 months to be born. Newborn gorillas start off with greyish-pink skin and can crawl after about 9 weeks, but they stay with their mothers for about 3.5 years until they are fully grown. Male gorillas protect their families by showing off their size through loud chest-beating and charging displays.

Conservation status

The eastern gorilla has become critically endangered, with its population dropping sharply since the 1990s. By 2016, fewer than 6,000 eastern gorillas remained, mainly due to habitat loss and disease. However, mountain gorillas are an exception, with their numbers slowly increasing to around 1,004 today.

Mountain gorillas can sometimes be seen in national parks, which helps support conservation through tourism. These parks include Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. While this brings funds for protection efforts, there is a worry that too much human contact might spread diseases to the gorillas. Very few eastern gorillas live in zoos, with only the Antwerp Zoo housing them outside their natural habitat.